Beverage and food carrier and dispensing systems therefor

ABSTRACT

A carrier for carrying at least one beverage container includes a sheet of at least one layer of a polymeric material having an arrangement of at least one aperture for receiving a beverage container, and having a plurality of handle members for grasping by at least one finger or portion of a users hand for carrying the beverage container. A tray configuration is also provided for use with the carrier or in a separate manner, and a dispensing system for use with the carrier is set forth.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No.12/403,886 filed Mar. 13, 2009, which in turn claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 61/036,314 filed on Mar. 13, 2008, all ofwhich are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The invention relates to a beverage and/or food carrying device anddispensing systems therefore. More particularly, the invention relatesto beverage and/or food carrying devices which allow easier handling ofbeverage and food items in many different environments and applications,where food and beverages are dispensed on an individual basis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In many environments and situations, the handling of food and beveragesdispensed on an individual basis, becomes difficult and cumbersome. Forexample, in the environment such as a sporting or entertainment venue,food and beverages are dispensed via counters or vendors, on anindividual basis. If a patron purchases food or beverages from thecounter for example, they then must somehow carry the purchased itemsback to their seat, and handling of the items can be difficult. This isparticularly true where the patron may buy multiple drinks and/or fooditems for their group.

Many other situations are similar, where a person gets drinks and/orfood and then must carry the items back to a seat or the like forconsumption. Such situations may include movie theaters, buffets, happyhours, or many other activities or environments, where a person has tocarry food and beverages that are dispensed on an individual basis.Further, spillage of beverages from hand carried cups is a well knownproblem to customers of carry out or fast food restaurants. Also,handling multiple drinks is problematic. For such situations, there aredrink carriers that are used, being the paper pulp type trays withmultiple receptacles in which drinks can be frictionally engaged. Suchtrays as currently available for supporting and transporting drinkingcups include receptacles sized to fit the bottom of a particular sizecup. As the receptacles are typically formed in one size, this has ledthe fast food restaurants to configure the cups for different sizes ofdrinks to have the same bottom configuration, thereby allowing them tofit in the tray receptacle. These known carriers provide only limitedlateral support for cups being carried or otherwise transported,increasing the chance that taller cups can be tipped and spilled whilecarrying. Further, such carriers are bulky and not convenientlyconfigured to carry additional items, such as food items, making storageand handling of the tray more difficult. These particular types of traydevices are also difficult to carry, and usually require both hands ofthe user, preventing the user from using their hands to carry otherthings or perform tasks such as opening doors, handing a ticket to aperson, or distributing food to another person.

Additionally, these types of carriers are unattractive, bulky, nestedtightly together and therefore difficult to handle, expensive to shipand space-consuming to store at a site for use, taking up significantstorage space due to their configuration. Other types of carriers may bemade to assemble for use, making them inconvenient and difficult tohandle.

Although helpful, such devices are still problematic if multiple drinksand food items are purchased, and are not convenient to carry or handle,ship or store for use.

Various other efforts have been made to facilitate the transportation ofmultiple beverage cups from a point of purchase to a point of use. Suchefforts have generally not been accepted by consumers, due to variousdeficiencies, and there thus is a need for an improved device forhandling beverages and food items that are dispensed on an individualbasis.

Another problem inherent in existing container carriers is that they maynot support filled cups in a stable manner. Known carriers when in use,may not allow for stable carrying as they are rigid, and thereforerequire the user to maintain the carrier in a level position to avoidspillage of the cup contents. Further, such carriers may be unstable ifthey are not filled with the maximum number of cups for which they aredesigned.

Notwithstanding the state of the art as described herein, there is aneed for further improvements in beverage and food carriers, as well asdispensing systems for such carriers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a carrier for at least one beverage container. Inone example of the invention, a carrier includes a sheet of at least onelayer of a polymeric material having an arrangement of at least oneaperture for receiving a beverage container and a plurality of handlemembers.

In another example of the invention, a carrier for carrying a pluralityof beverage containers and a food product includes a first sheet of apolymeric material having a first side and a second side, wherein thefirst sheet has an arrangement of at least one aperture for receivingbeverage containers and a plurality of handle members, and a secondsheet of a polymeric material having an arrangement of at least oneaperture for receiving a beverage container and a handle member, whereinthe second sheet is attached to the first side of the first sheet suchthat the at least one aperture of the second sheet are aligned with theat least two apertures of the first sheet.

In yet another example of the invention, a dispensing system for acarrier for at least one beverage container is disclosed. The carrierincludes a sheet of at least one layer of a polymeric material having anarrangement of at least one aperture for receiving a beverage containerand a plurality of handle members. The dispensing system includes a box,the box having a plurality of walls defining a cavity. In general, thecavity includes a plurality of carriers that are removably positionedwithin the cavity. The box also includes an upper surface, wherein atleast one opening on the upper surface provides for access to thecavity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a carrier according to theinvention, showing the carrier in an unfolded state;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the example of the carrier for beveragecontainers shown in FIG. 1, showing the carrier in a folded state foruse;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a further example of a carrier accordingto the invention, showing the carrier in a folded state;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the carrier shown in FIG. 3 with twocups therein and being grasped and carried by a user;

FIGS. 3B-3D show additional examples of carriers according to theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of another example of a carrier according tothe invention, showing the carrier in an unfolded state;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the carrier shown in FIG. 4, in usecarrying beverages and food items as an example;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a further example of a carrier accordingto the invention, showing the carrier in a folded state;

FIGS. 6A through 6H are perspective and sectional views of alternativeexamples of the carrier according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a further example of a carrier accordingto the invention, showing the carrier in a folded state;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a further example of a carrier accordingto the invention, showing the carrier in a folded state;

FIGS. 8A through 8D show alternative tray members for use with thecarrier as shown in FIG. 8 for example;

FIGS. 9A-9M show an alternate tray configurations, and schematicillustrations showing features thereof;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a further example of a carrieraccording to the invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a further example of a carrieraccording to the invention, showing the carrier in a folded state;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a further example of a carrieraccording to the invention;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a further example of a carrieraccording to the invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a further example of a carrieraccording to the invention, shown being carried by a user;

FIG. 14A is a perspective view of a further example of a carrieraccording to the invention, similar to the example of FIG. 14;

FIG. 15 is a front view of a further example of a carrier according tothe invention;

FIG. 15A is a perspective view of the carrier shown in FIG. 15 in usewith a further carrier example according to the invention, such as thecarrier of FIG. 1, both being carried by a user;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a first example of a dispensing systemfor a plurality of carriers for carrying beverage containers; and

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a second example of a dispensing systemfor a plurality of carriers for carrying beverage containers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one example of the invention, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, carrier 10 isformed as one or more sheets 12 of at least one layer of a polymericmaterial, having an arrangement of at least one aperture 14 forreceiving a beverage container 15. It is also contemplated that thecarrier 10 in this or other examples of the invention, may not have tohave drink holes 14, thereby providing a sling carrier for carrying awide variety of things such as food or other items. The sheet(s) 12further comprises a plurality of handle members 16 and 18 for receivingthe fingers of a person carrying carrier 10. If desired, the sheet(s) 12of carrier 10 may be formed of multiple layers on one or both sides,including two or more layers of polymeric material, to enhance thestrength of the carrier 10, and/or to provide sheet characteristicsdesired for carrying different sized containers of beverages. It is alsopossible to use two or more sheets 12 of material, on one or both sidesof carrier 10 to form one or more carrying pockets 13 on one or bothsides of the central drink holes 14. The pockets 13 may be formed by aplurality of heat seals or folds 21 forming the sides, and a pluralityof heat seals 19 forming the bottom of the pockets 13. If pockets 13 areprovided, they may be separable via optional perforated cuts 17 belowthe bottom heat seals 19 of the pocket. Upon separation, the pocketsbecome separate bags or the like for carrying items. The sheet(s) 12 maybe die-cut or otherwise suitably formed. It is thus contemplated thatthe sheet(s) 12 could be formed of different materials and/or multiplelayers, to allow the inner sheet 12 to be formed as a thicker orstronger material to assist in carrying the load of cup(s) 15, while anouter sheet 12 could be formed of a thinner or different material thatis less expensive for example.

In one example, the one or more sheets 12 are constructed of a flat,durable, flexible thermoplastic polymer. The thermoplastic polymer filmmay be of any suitable type, such as medium density polyethylene (MDPE)for example. In an example of the invention, sheet 12 is constructed ofMDPE, which has desired strength characteristics for carrying typicalbeverage cups of different sizes and weights, and/or configurations. Inthis or other examples described below, the sheet also allows printingon one or both sides for branding, advertising, instructions, or otherpurposes.

As an example for some applications, the MDPE thermoplastic polymer hasthe benefits of providing properties that include limited stretchabilityand a substantially non-sticky texture to sheet 12. These propertiesallow carrier 10 to accommodate a range of beverage container sizes,shapes and fill weights. This material or a like material may thusprovide strong securement of a beverage container or cup 15 in theaperture 14 when inserted into aperture 14. The material also may allowthe diameter of aperture 14 of carrier 10 to be capable of increasing toa degree to accommodate the beverage container 15 based upon the size,shape and weight of the container 15. This property facilitates insecuring the beverage container in carrier 10 during transport. Ingeneral, any suitable polymeric materials which are not excessivelytacky and do not have a tendency to excessively stretch or tear whenexposed to heavier than normal beverage containers, may be used.Further, materials which exhibit limited stretch properties and low tackallow for easy removal of beverage containers when required, thuspromoting ease of handling and use of carrier 10.

Suitable materials such as MDPE or others may also possess the qualitiesof increased tensile strength in both the machine as well as thetransverse direction in the manufacturing of carrier 10. The combinationof increased tensile strength in addition to the limited stretchabilityof the material provides carrier 10 with the capability to bear the loadof beverage containers, as well as other items such as food, withoutdeforming excessively or failing. For example, the molecular arrangementin MDPE facilitates an increase in the tear resistance when compared toHDPE. The material from which carrier 10 is made may also be resistantto tearing, such as crease tearing which is described as the phenomenaof a small tear propagating through the material once the material isexposed to further loads. Other suitable materials may be selected forvarious applications, and may include materials such as low densitypolyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) for example,PLA (Polylactic Acid), paper, bamboo substrate, flashspun and bondedhigh-density polyethylene fibers, or a combination of paper and polymeror other combinations. Any suitable materials and combinations ofmaterials are contemplated. As mentioned above, if two or more sheetsare used, the different sheets could be formed of different materials toprovide different characteristics such as strength, stretchability,cost, or others, as may be desired.

FIG. 2 illustrates container carrier 10 in a functional position. Inuse, carrier 10 is easily loaded when in the flat position by placementof beverage containers at the site of the hole(s) 14, as shown in FIG.1, and then is temporarily secured in a folded state for carrying by atleast one finger of a person's hand or other structure inserted throughhandle members 16 and 18. Upon lifting, the apertures 14 move upwardlyon the containers 15 until the tapered side of the containers 15 areengaged by the apertures 14. The size of the apertures 14 are providedto have a somewhat larger diameter than the bottom of the container 15so that they engage the tapered container at a position approximatelybetween the midportion and top of the container 15 as shown. Withdifferent sized cups, this position of engagement with the cup iseffectively maintained since larger, heavier cups will stretch the hole14 more, and smaller, lighter cups will stretch the hole 14 less,allowing different sizes to be easily accommodated. This ensures thatthe center of gravity of the filled container is positionedapproximately at or below the level at which the aperture 14 engages thecontainer 15, providing stable securement of the container 15 therein,without the container 15 being able to tip from a substantially levelposition as shown. Once carrier 10 is in the functional position, theperson can carry carrier 10 and the beverage container(s) 15 to adesired destination without the beverage containers tilting over andspilling the beverage from the containers. This is enabled by theflexibility of the material from which the carrier 10 is made, whichallows the carrier to swing and deform between the container 15 andhandles 16 and 18 when walking, while the containers 15 remainsubstantially level. The carrier 10 offers convenience in carrying oneor more drinks, with one or two cups easily carried in a stable fashiondue to the flexibility of the film from which carrier 10 is made, whichkeeps the filled cups substantially upright, even with variations ofhand and/or hand-hole positions. The carrier is effectivelyself-stabilizing, distinct from the use of rigid materials which rigidlytie hand movement directly to cup movement, which is more inclined tocause spills of beverages. It should also be evident that the carrier 10keeps the fingers free for other tasks when being carried, as only aportion of the fingers/hand is needed to support the carrier 10 via thehandle members 16 and 18. The carrier 10 is also very light weight andeconomical to make due to the low cost of the film materials which maybe used, and simple manufacturing process. In a further example, thehandle portions 16 and 18 may be attachable to one another by anysuitable mechanism, such as by either attaching all layers or just theinside layers, by adhesive or mechanical systems or the like. Theattachment of the handle portions 16 and 18 to one another assists inallowing a loaded carrier 10 to stand upright and maintain a form toallow it to be placed on a support surface and picked up again easily.As will be further described below, the carriers according to examplesare also easily and cost-effectively packaged for shipping, handling andstorage at a site for use. After use, the carriers can be recycled orcomposted depending on the type of materials used, offering anenvironmentally friendly product. The size and characteristics of theproduct enables it to consume significantly less volume in the wastereceptacles and waste management system than any other beverage carrier,making it environmentally and economically very attractive.

In the example of FIG. 1, the carrier 10 may have sheet(s) 12 formed bya simple die-cutting process, to form top edges that are square, or asshown in FIG. 2, the sheet(s) 12 may be formed to have top edges thatare rounded or otherwise shaped differently than square. In examples,the sheet(s) 12 may be suitably formed by die-cutting, to eliminate theneed to separately form a desired overall shape or trim the material ofthe carrier 10. In examples with pockets 13, the pockets 13 orsaddle-bags may have heat seals 21 that run all the way up to the top orpartially along the sides of the carrier 10. Further, one or moreadditional layers could be used to make additional compartments and/orcompartment separators for the carrier 10. Such additional layer(s)could be localized to the area of one or both sides or carrier 10, or beprovided as another full layer. One or more additional layers could beprovided to add to support the cup(s) if desired. The layer or layers ofcarrier 10 can be of different thickness or of different types ofplastic materials if desired. For example, a thicker and/or stifferlayer could be provided to facilitate support of the cups, while one ormore other layers could be provided primarily for forming the pockets orsaddle-bags 13, which could be of a thinner and more flexible andstretchable material. The carrier 10 could be constructed to use a thinhandle layer and reinforce the handle openings 16 and 18 for example.

The carrier 10 may also be used to dispense and temporarily store thebeverages during consumption, allowing the user to repeatedly remove andreposition the container 15 in the aperture 14 when in the foldedposition wherein the container can be inserted back into the securedposition as shown. As each side edge of the device 10 is open in thisexample, a user can simply reach in through the side and grasp thecontainer for drinking and then replace the drink as needed. A threehole carrier 20 is shown in FIG. 3, which similarly would allow one tothree drinks to be easily carried due to the self-stabilizing nature ofthe carrier 20. As shown in FIG. 3, upon being lifted, the carrier 20effectively self-adjusts to the load provided by the filled beveragecontainer 15 to provide stability. As seen in FIG. 3A, which shows twocups carried in the three hole example 20, this self-adjustment alsoholds true if less than the maximum number of cups 15 are positioned inthe carrier 20. In this example, the extra width of carrier 20 andinward sloping sides expose the outer holes for easy insertion of a cuptherein, either initially for carrying or for repeated use whenconsuming the drink. This may allow a user to load food products into aportion of carrier 20 first, and then add a drink for example. In anenvironment such as a quick service restaurant where drinks aredispensed on a self-serve basis, this would allow easy handling of thefood and drinks by a user for example. The easy access to the storagearea of the carrier in the foregoing and other examples of theinvention, also encourages use, and provides an easy and yet effectivecarrying device which leaves the fingers and other hand of the userfree, such that the user can avoid carrying cups in their hands, therebyeliminating any difficulty or struggle with doors, etc. In the exampleof FIG. 3, it is also contemplated that the center hole may be optionalif desired, providing a space for positioning and carrying food or otheritems.

In FIG. 3B, the carrier 10 may have a more rigid or robust materialsheet 22 inserted between layers in the area of cup openings 14, whichcould be a paperboard or plastic material for example. The sheet 22could be heat sealed inside, adhered, or otherwise attached in thecarrier 10 if desired. The sheet material 22 would be formed with holescorresponding to holes 14 in the carrier 10. Such a sheet material 22could facilitate preventing stretching of a thin film plastic materialused to form carrier 10 and/or assist in supporting cups 15 in carrier10, and prevent cups 15 from falling through the holes 15. This mayallow for use of a thinner, less robust material in forming the carrier10 while still providing support for the cups 15 for example. As thesheet material 22 is only provided at the location of openings 14, therest of the carrier 10 is still flexible to allow self-stabilizing asdescribed above.

An alternative shown in FIG. 3C may include a thin strip 24 of plasticwhich is heat sealed or otherwise provided on one or both sides of theoutside of the carrier 10, whether formed with no pockets or withpockets. Such a strip 24 could also be a plastic-coated paper that isheat-sealable to the carrier 10, or a paper or other material that isadhered with glue or other suitable means. In an example, the strip 24could be heat sealed when the edges or carrier 10 are cut and sealedwith heat. On a carrier including pockets, the heat seal attaching thestrip 24 could also serve as the seal holding the two sheets togetherand forming a portion of the pockets. The strip 24 can have perforations25 to allow for easy removal, could have indicia, such as a bar code orother unique ID provided thereon, to serve as a raffle ticket, token orother promotional item like a coupon or the like, and/or serve asadvertising. The strip 24 may have any desired dimensions, and could beheat sealed (or otherwise) at the bottom edge of strip 24, to form afurther pocket to place tickets, receipts, promotional items, cutlery,straws, napkins, etc. in. Alternatively to a strip 24, a tube could beused instead, which could contain a giveaway, food, drink or otherconsumable in solid or liquid form, or other item. The strip 24 or thelike can be used as a coupon, raffle ticket or other promotional item,or serve to provide other uses. Alternately, this strip could be tallerand/or sealed along its bottom edge, creating a small pocket which couldcontain raffle tickets, coupons, or other advertisements and be used tostore ticket stubs, small merchandise, and the like.

In FIG. 3D, In a further example, the carrier 10 with pockets orsaddle-bags 13 may also have a mechanism to selectively seal or closethe pockets 13, such as a closure 26 located near one or both handles 16and 18, such as above, below, or through the handle portions. Theclosure 26 would allow selective closing of the pocket 13, or may be aninitial seal that encloses materials in the pocket 13, that may or maynot be resealable. As an example, an adhesive seal 26 located on innerside of one or both layers of the pocket 13 may be provided. Such aclosure may have a peel off layer of film to expose the adhesive on oneor both layers, and the user can press the adhesive against other layerto seal the pocket compartment. Alternatively, a zipper type sealcomprised of a two part extrusion may be used, with one part on theinner side of each layer of the pocket 13. Such a closure allows theuser to press the layers against each other to seal the compartment andpull the zipper seal apart to open the compartment. Alternatively, ahook and loop fastener could be used. Any other suitable closure system,whether permanent or resealable, is contemplated and may be used. Theability to provide a closed pocket system may also allow thepre-packaging of food or other products in the pocket(s) 13, may allowpre-packaged snacks or meals to be provided in a carrier 10 for laterconsumption. In such an example, the pocket(s) 13 may be sealed by asuitable approach, such as heat, ultrasonic or the like sealing, withproducts in the compartment. For some products, it may be desirable tohave the products vacuum sealed in the pocket(s) 13. Such an example mayallow food, medicine or other products to be distributed via suitableoutlets, such as the grocery or convenience store, pharmacy orinstitutions such as hospitals, the military or the like for indoor oroutdoor use. The carrier 10, or pocket(s) 13, may also be formed of asuitable material to allow pre-packaged food or other products to beheated in microwave, boiling water or the like. The ability to storeproducts in the pocket(s) 13 may also allow food or other products to beprovided in carriers 10 in a manner to be queued up behind a dispensingcounter for example. A further example as shown with respect to FIG. 3Dis provided wherein a beverage is pre-packaged in a pouch 27 formed fromor in the pocket(s) 13. In such an example, the pocket 13 could alsocarry a pre-sealed beverage pouch in a portion of it, with the beverageaccessible through a port 28. The port 28 may be similar to beveragepouch type products, with the port 28 providing the user the ability topunch a hole in carrier or pouch using a straw or the like. In such anexample, the carrier could include a pre-made part for allowing accessto the beverage pouch, or the outer layer of carrier adjacent the pouchcould be made pierceable at port 28, and a more rigid target ring couldbe provided adjacent the port 28 if desired. Also in such an example,the carrier 10 may be formed to not have drink/cup carrier holes ifdesired, as a beverage is pre-packaged in the carrier.

In another example of the invention as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, carrier 30includes a first base sheet 32 of at least one layer of a polymericmaterial having an arrangement of at least one aperture formed therein.In the example shown, two apertures 38 and 39 are provided in the basesheet 32 for receiving multiple beverage containers 33 and 34, butfurther apertures may be provided if desired. A plurality of handlemembers 35 and 36 are provided for receiving the finger(s)/hand of aperson carrying carrier 30. Multiple layers, including two or threelayers of polymeric material, are also considered for base sheet 32 ofcarrier 30 if desired. Similar to the prior example, sheet 32 may beconstructed of a flat, durable, flexible thermoplastic polymer, such asMDPE. In this example, carrier 30 also includes a second sheet 37 of atleast one layer of a polymeric material, also having an arrangement ofapertures corresponding to the number of apertures 38 and 39 in the basesheet 32, and a handle member 40. Second sheet 37 is heat sealed alongheat seal line 41 to first sheet 32 such that it is fixed in positionwith the base sheet 32 on one side. The second sheet 37 is of a shorterdimension, such that in use, it forms a sling intermediate the handles35 and 36 and holes 38 and 39 of the base sheet 32. In use for carryingboth beverages and other items for example, the sheet 37 may be foldedover to expose the holes 38 and 39 in the sheet 32, allowing beveragesto be positioned therein. The sling may then be used for carrying fooditems in addition to drinks positioned in the holes 38 and 39 as shownin FIG. 4. The second sheet 37 may also be provided with holes ifdesired, which are formed in the second sheet 37 in alignment withapertures 38 and 39 of base sheet 32. In this example of the invention,if apertures are provided in the second sheet 37 which are in alignmentwith apertures 38 and 39 of base sheet 32, beverage containers 33 and 34can first be inserted into and through apertures formed in the secondsheet 37, and then into and through the aligned apertures 38 and 39 offirst sheet 32 if no food product 42 is positioned in the sling portionof the carrier 30. If no food items are to be carried, the provision ofholes in both the second sheet 37 as well as first sheet 32 allow forquick loading of the carrier 30 in a manner similar to the priorexamples.

FIG. 5 illustrates container carrier 30 in a functional position. Inuse, carrier 30 is temporarily secured in a folded state when at leastone finger of a person's hand is inserted through handle members 35, 36and 40. In the folded state, carrier 30 includes a beverage carryingportion formed from first sheet 32 and a food carrying portion formedfrom second sheet 37. Once carrier 30 is in the functional position, aperson can carry carrier 30, which includes beverage containers 33 and34 and a food product 42, such as submarine sandwiches, hamburgers, hotdogs or the like, or any other items or products, to a desireddestination. Carrier 30 prevents beverage containers 33 and 34 fromtilting over and spilling the beverage from the containers and allowsfood product 42 to be conveniently stored and carried with carrier 30while in its folded state, using only one hand.

A further example of the carrier according to the invention is shown inFIG. 6. In this example, the carrier 60 is formed of at least twoplastic film sheets 62 and 64, which may be substantially identical. Thesheets 62 and 64 may be secured to one another by heat sealing or thelike, at positions at least partially up the sides 66 and 68, and alonga lower end 67 of one or both sides of carrier 60, to thereby create oneor more pockets 70, for the storage and carrying of food products or anyother items. As seen in FIG. 6, the pocket 70 may be formed as a singlelarge pocket that would accommodate a variety of items for example. Ifdesired, a perforation cut 63 can be made below the heat seal that formsthe bottom of the single pocket, or multiple pockets, allowing a singleor multiple cavity pocketed side to be removed by the user by tearingthe perforation, from the remainder of the carrier. Thus, afterbeverages or food or both have been transported, or at anotherconvenient time for the user the pocketed sides can be separated andused as a bag type device, independently from the rest of the carrier.This tear-away feature enables the users to independently serve anotherperson, carry and dispense food or other merchandise in the one or bothpocketed sides after separation from one or both adjacent edges of thecentrally located drink apertures. The separated pocket or bag can belaid on a users lap or tabletop surface, and the food inside can beplaced on the flattened side of the bag acting as a convenientplacemat-like eating surface while sitting or standing. Further, food ormerchandise can be kept clean and carried from the entertainment orother venue by this convenient separable bag or pocket. The perforationwill have sufficient strength for carrying the largest and heaviestdrinks in the center section, yet be easy enough to, when desired by theuser conveniently separate the carrier into two bags or pockets, bytearing the perforation. Alternatively, as seen in FIGS. 6A and 6B, theat least one pocket 70 may include several pockets 71 and 72, in one orboth sides of carrier 60. As seen in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the pockets 71 and72 are formed by an additional heat seal 74 which divides the pocket 70into multiple pockets. In FIG. 6A, the pockets 71 and 72 are ofdifferent proportions, wherein FIG. 6B shows pockets 71 and 72 withsimilar proportions. Any proportions or number of pockets can be formedin association with carrier 60 accordingly. In the example of FIG. 6A,the pocket 72 may be formed to more particularly accommodate a food itemsuch as a hot dog, lottery ticket, coupon, advertisement flyer or thelike, while pocket 71 could be used for other items. The material fromwhich the sheet 62 is made may be of a clear or translucent material toallow items positioned within a pocket 70 to be visible if desired. Theone or more pockets 70 may be formed to accommodate particular items ifdesired. In other examples, the one or more pockets 70 may be formedwith other characteristics, such as for accommodating other items orproviding additional functionality. As seen in FIG. 6C for example, thepocket 70 may be formed with only a bottom seal 67, to create open sidesinto which longer articles 75, such as a submarine sandwich, burrito,book, magazine, newspaper or the like, may be inserted and carried. Inthe example of FIG. 6D, the at least one pocket 70 may be formed to haveside seals 66 and 68 which extend higher (when the carrier 60 is in thecarrying position), to allow taller articles 76 to be accommodated moresecurely. An optional perforation 63 can be utilized to separate the twohalves of the carrier to make the two pockets independent from oneanother if desirable by the end user. For instance, if after the food isconsumed, that food carrier section could be detached and thrown away,leaving the pocket carrying the books or magazine to carry goods out ofa store or establishment. It should be recognized that the form of theat least one pocket 70 can vary greatly depending on the particularneeds of users in different environments and to accommodate differenttypes of items. The side seals 66 and 68 (if used), can vary based onwhat is to be carried, while the seal at bottom of at least one pocket70 keeps any contents from interfering with the one or more cups thatmay be carried by the carrier 60 or the lids of any cups positionedtherein. The at least one pocket 70 with heat seal 67 also segregatesthe drinks from items placed in the pocket(s) 70, and enhances theability to use the carrier for dispensing the items such as duringconsumption, allowing repeated insertion and removal of the drinksand/or items placed in the pocket(s) 70.

As seen in FIG. 6E folded material resulting in pleats or gussets 78 canbe offered as an alternative design which offers greater volumetriccapacity of the expandable carrier pockets. Heat seal 67 forms the lowerportion of the pocket, while folded material resulting in one or morepleats form sides 77 and 73 of the pockets 70. Perforations 63 allowsthe user to separate the pockets from one another at a suitable timeduring use, such as after drinks and food has been carried to their seatat a sporting or entertainment event, or the like. The cutaway views inFIGS. 6F and 6G show that, as an alternative, the pleat or gusset can belocated at the bottom of one or both of the carrier pockets. This gusset78 can be located on the outside or inside of the outermost sheet ofmaterial, the outside or inside of the innermost sheet of material, orboth. This design allows expansion primarily in the lower portion of thepocket, while keeping the opening at the top small to help keep contentsfrom spilling. If located on both the outermost and innermost sheet, thegussets 78 can either be at the same level, as is shown in FIG. 6F, oroffset to reduce the stacking of layers when flat, as is shown in FIG.6G.

In the FIG. 6H, as an alternative, one or more layers of materialcomprise a sling 73 which supports cups 15 beneath. Sling 73 iscomprised of one or more layers of material attached via heat seal orthe like 67 adjoining to the other material layers comprising theremainder of the food and beverage carrier. The sling 73 and cup holdingsection 75 can be separated from the pockets via tearing one or bothperforations 63 and 64 after drinks have been transported to theirdesired destination or the like. By tearing the one or both perforations63 and 64 the adjoined bags are separated into individual bagsfacilitating dispensing to another person, placing on one's lap or thelike.

Further in many environments and applications, the at least one pocket70 may also be used as a temporary trash receptacle, such as at astadium event or the like. For example, at a sporting event, a user maypurchase drinks and food items as which are easily carried back to theirseat for consumption, and any trash produced can be put back into the atleast one pocket 70, such as peanut shells, food wrappers, etc.Individual pocket(s) could also be formed for other items, such as aname tag, event schedule, promotional coupons, advertisement, or thelike. Similarly to prior examples, the carrier 60 may also be formedwithout the drink hole(s) if desired, while still facilitating theutilitarian uses for the carrier 60 in carrying a wide variety of items.

In another example as shown in FIG. 7, the carrier 80 is formed for useby an individual to carry a drink and food items for their subsequentconsumption. In this example, the carrier 80 is formed of two sheets,which may be substantially identical, and which are sealed together tomake the carrier configuration. In the example shown, the carrier 80 hasboth the left and right sides 82 and 83, along with the bottom 84, whichare sealed, such as by heat sealing or the like. A drink hole 86 may beformed in one side of carrier 80, to receive and support a cup 15 in amanner similar to the prior examples. The remainder of the carrier 80 isthen available for food or other items, such as a submarine sandwich 87as shown. The top portion of each sheet is provided with a handleopening, allowing the user to easily carry the carrier 80 with at leastone finger inserted therethrough. If desired, separate compartments orpockets may be formed by a heat seal between the area for insertion ofthe drink into the hole 86, and the food or other item storage pocket.The carrier may be dimensioned to accommodate any desired food or otheritems as desired. A slight derivative of this version may be comprisedof one or more cylindrical, closed-end compartments with a hand holewhich could be used to conveniently and space-efficiently carry bottlesof wine or like articles from a grocery or beverage store.

To further facilitate use of a carrier in accordance with the inventionwith various more particular food or other items, the carrierconfiguration can be adapted for such particular food or other items. InFIG. 8, an example is shown for use in carrying drinks as well as fooditems, such a chips or nachos, vegetables and dip, or other items whichare popular and offered in many environments. When purchasing nachos forexample, typically a plurality of tortilla chips are provided in a tray,and an amount of nacho cheese is provided in a separated compartmentformed in the tray or in a separate container. The user must carry thetray in one hand, and if any drinks are purchased, must use their otherhand. In this example, a carrier 90 may be similar to the examples shownpreviously, such as in FIG. 1, 2, 3, 5 or 6. In association with thecarrier 90, a tray 92, such as for nachos or any other food or otherproducts, may be provided for use in association with the carrier 90, orfor use independently of the carrier. The tray 92 may be a thermoformedtray or formed in any other suitable manner, and be dimensioned andshaped to fit in the space between the cups 15 and handles 94. Ifdesired, the tray 92 may have a compartment 95 formed therein for cheesesauce to be provided. The compartment 95 may be used for other materialslike dips or the like, and can be located in the center portion of thecarrier (not shown) if desired. To facilitate maintaining the tray 92 inthe position as shown in FIG. 8, the tray 92 may be formed to have nubsor bosses 96 on its bottom side as shown in FIG. 8A, which arepositioned to engage the tops of the cups 15 if the tray 92 begins toslide, and thereby prevent the tray 92 from sliding out of its positionin carrier 90. As cups 15 may have different size tops, the bosses 96may be positioned to accommodate different sized cups 15, while stillpreventing any substantial sliding of tray 92. Alternatively to thebosses 96 the tray may have circular type female grooves 98, such asshown in FIG. 8C to engage the tops of cups 15 and prevent sliding oftray 92 relative thereto, or similarly functional circular male ringsprotruding from the tray bottom surface, that surround the top rim of acup which prevent sliding of the tray off one or more cups. Thedepressions 98 and nubs 96 may accommodate any number of cups 15, suchas the two cups 15 shown in FIGS. 8A and 8C, or one cup 15 as shown inFIGS. 8B and 8D. This allows the tray to fit the tops of the cups whenthey are in carrier 90 or be balanced and reasonably secured when on topof one cup held in the user's hand. With reference to these Figs., thetray may have projecting portions (or female portions) from its bottomthat may facilitate positioning the upper open ends of cups positionedin the carrier or otherwise, in association with the male or femaleportions on the bottom of the tray, to maintain to position of the traytherewith. Alternatively, the projecting portions can securely positionthe tray in the cup openings of the carrier itself if no cups are placedtherein. If only one cup is carried in the carrier, the shape of theprojecting portions (or female portions) is such that the top of the cupis surrounded at least in part by the projecting portions, againsecurely positioning the tray with the cup. The tray configuration isthus adaptable to a variety of uses for a particular situation.

Further examples of a tray are shown in FIGS. 9A-9H, that isergonomically configured for easier handling by a user. As seen in theseexamples, the tray 92 may have side walls having a convex (or concave)shape as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9H, that helps a user to grip the tray 92as well as to facilitate being retained in the carrier due to thematerial of the carrier gripping the tray 92 once it is positioned inthe carrier. The curved (convex or concave) nature additionally providesstiffness and strength to the tray 92 which may be otherwise weaker. Thetray 92 may also have a dished platform 93 (FIG. 9G) that creates a spotfor the thumb of the user to grip the tray 92. The tray 92 may also haveplatforms 97 (FIG. 9G) on one or both long sides of the tray tofacilitate grasping and supporting the tray 92. Clearance for saidthumbs used to carry the bottom tray 92 in a stack of trays 92 can becreated such as the arcing geometry 170 for use with platform 97 or openarea 171 for use with platform 93. On the bottom surface, there againmay be male or female type structures 94 to facilitate carrying tray 92in conjunction with one or more cups 15. As seen in FIGS. 9C-9D in thisexample, half moon structures 98 a may be provided to align with thetops of two cups 15 to keep tray from sliding off while being carried ina carrier 10. Alternatively or in addition, middle arcs 98 b may beprovided to grip a single cup. Apart from use with a carrier, suchstructures also would allow the tray 92 to be carried on top of one ormore cup(s) held in the hand(s). The male or female type structures 98 aor 98 b could also be provided with structure to attach to the cup 15 ina manner similar to lids provided for cups, such as having an undercut99 as seen in FIG. 9F, to grip a cup lip associated with the cup. Alsoin this example as seen in FIGS. 9E and 9F, the bottom surface 95 may beformed to arc upwardly in center to create walls that interact withcups, while the outer perimeter remains to keep surfaces that will touchthe cups off of counter/table surfaces to prevent or reducecontamination for example. As should be recognized, the surface of thecup lip touches the bottom surface of tray 92 above the bottom extent oftray 92. The bottom could also be recessed in a rectilinear manner toachieve offset from bottom for this purpose if desired.

In this example, the trays 92 may also be nestable for shipping in acompact shape, as is shown in FIGS. 9H and 9J, but also stackable duringuse as shown in the example of FIG. 9G and 9I. By rotating one tray,such as by 180 degrees, it can be stacked on another tray, allowing twotrays to be carried in one hand for example. In the example as shown,the trays include scallops 91 on the edges that are placed such thatwhen a tray is rotated 180 degrees from its nested position, they willbecome misaligned by half the width of a scallop, while still engagingone another at sides of the trays to allow positive engagement betweenstacked adjacent trays. Although scallops 91 are shown, other suitablestructures, such as ribs, or even more general curvatures or rectilinearstructures that allow nesting in one direction and stacking in a rotateddirection are contemplated. The scallops 91 or other structures can thusbe a variety of shapes (sinusoidal, square, wave, etc.) As shown in FIG.9I, the structures may be larger, such as formed from curved side wallsinstead of smaller scallops or the like. These larger structures remainnestable, as is shown in FIG. 9J. Indents may be provided along the baseperimeter that align with a stacked adjacent tray's scallops (whenrotated) and keep the trays from sliding apart when stacked. Though thetrays shown in this example are rectangular, if the tray is square, itcould be configured to stack by rotating 90 degrees for example. Itshould be recognized that such an approach would apply for all evenpolygons, which can be rotated until the sides line up, with the numberof degrees will be 360/(number of sides). For example, where the tray isformed as a pentagon, the user could rotate the pentagon by 72 degrees.As also seen in this example, the corners on opposite sides are made tobe different, creating indicator tabs 93 a (or by general outside shape)that let the user know it has been rotated (such as by 180 degrees). Asseen in FIGS. 9K-9M, the pattern of the scallops or the like isexplained further. In FIG. 9K, the pattern (such as of the scallops) isnon-symmetrical, with the pattern translated upward to the other side,not rotated as is common, and each side is the same without any“offset”. In FIG. 9L, the pattern of the scallops or the like are againshown to be symmetrical and are a minor image of one another, such thatthe sides are not the same, and the pattern of each is offset by ¼ ofpattern's length compared to FIG. 9K. Thus, the top row moves oppositedirection of bottom row, or they move together in the combined depictionfrom their position(s) in FIG. 9K. In the example of FIG. 9M, thepattern is non-symmetrical and the sides are not the same, with the sidepatterns offset by ⅓ of pattern's length. The top row moves in anopposite direction of bottom row, or they move together in the combineddepiction from their position(s) in FIG. 9K. It should be apparent thatthe offset could be any portion of pattern's length.

Another example is shown in FIG. 10, wherein the carrier 100 is formedto include a pouch portion 102, for food items such as popcorn, peanutsor other items as desired. The portion 102 may be provided with handleportions 104 for carrying the carrier 100. A cup holder portion 106 isalso provided with the carrier 100, and may be formed from the samesheet material, and a heat seal formed between the cup holder 106 andpouch 102. The cup holder portion 106 may be a circular sleeve thatengages and holds a cup 15 in position as the pouch portion 102 iscarried. The sleeve holder 106 may be positioned so that the cup 15 andpouch 102 may be supported on a surface together before being picked upand carried by a user. In use, the pouch 102 may be held by handles 104,or alternatively, the cup 15 and sleeve portion may be held with thepouch 102 supported in an upright position. The tightness of the grip ofthe web between the sleeve 106 and pouch 102 can be adjusted as thecontents in the bag 102 are consumed and more slack is createdtherebetween. Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 11, a similar arrangementmay use a carrier 110, for carrying a container 112 containing popcornor the like, by means of an aperture 114 formed in carrier 110.Different sized containers 112 may be securely held in aperture 114. Afurther aperture 116 may be provided for carrying a cup 15 similar toprior examples. Handles 118 may be provided in the sheet material ofcarrier 110 for carrying both containers 112 and cup 15 with a singlehand. A further alternative is shown in FIG. 12, wherein carrier 120includes a pouch portion 122 for holding popcorn or the like. The pouchportion 122 may have handles 124 for simple carrying. A sheet 126 may beattached on a side of pouch 122. The sheet 126 may have an aperture 128for holding a cup 15 in association with pouch 122. The sheet 126 may besecured at the bottom portion thereof by a heat seal or the like, with atop portion having a handle 129 formed therein. After positioning of acup 15 in hole 128, the sheet 126 may then be folded to the positionshown, wherein the handle portion 129 is positioned to be aligned withthe handles 124 for carrying cup 15 along with pouch 122. The sheet mayposition the cup 15 such that the pouch 122 can be supported on asurface with cup 15 also supported on the surface. Yet a furtheralternative is shown in FIG. 13, wherein a container 130 includes acarrier 132, such as for a cup 15. The container 130 may be used forpopcorn or the like, with carrier 132 provided to allow a beverage to becarried with the container 130. The carrier 132 may be a paper orplastic sheet attached to a side of container 130 to form a loop orsling for carrying cup 15.

Other environments and applications may require carrying differentarticles or items, such as a buffet or picnic type environment or thelike, where a user may typically have a plate of food and also a drink,making it difficult to handle both easily. In FIG. 14, a carrier 140 maybe formed of sheets sealed or adhered together at the sides and bottomto form a pouch 142 for receiving a beverage cup 15. Alternatively, itshould be recognized that the carrier 140 and pouch 142 may be used tocarry other beverage containers, such as cans or bottles (plastic orglass). The carrier 140 further has a handle portion 144 formed as anopen loop above the pouch 142. The handle portion 144 may be simplygrasped by one or more fingers or the palm of the hand, to therebysupport the beverage for carrying or consumption while leaving the restof the hand free to also carry a plate 146, for example. In this manner,the user has access to both the beverage cup 15 and the items on plate146 with their free hand, facilitating handling of these items andconsumption thereof. In the example shown in FIG. 14, the carrier 140may be provided with a back side 147 having a greater height tofacilitate securing the cup 15, or a can or bottle therein. The highback 147 further gives the user something to push against (tactilefeedback) as a drink is being inserted into pouch 142, and preventsovershooting the carrier. The top of the back side 147 also may beformed such that it will bow outward when a beverage is contained in thepouch 142 when hanging, due to the gravity load of the drink, therebykeeping it out of user's way when not actively accessing the drink, suchas when walking or standing or transporting the drink. A front side 148may be formed with a lower height which allows the user to grab thedrink easily while it is supported in the pouch 142. The configurationof pouch 142 may also be provided such that the space between sides 147and 148 is dimensioned to make a large target for the user to insert thebeverage container. The shape of the pouch 142 may also effectivelypinch in center creating a concave “waist” that helps to hold beveragesusing pressure from the sides 157 and 158. If a user has a beveragebottle, cup, or can they can be pushed inside the “waist”, leaning thebeverage bottle, cup or can backward slightly, toward 147 for a moresecure hold, or positioned outside, leaning forward slightly toward 148for better user access while actively consuming the beverage. There mayalso be holes or slits 149 in the back side 147 and/or front side 148 toprevent beverage from sticking to film from which the carrier 140 may beconstructed. The holes/slits 149 may be strategically located to giverelief where needed most. In use, the carrier 140 with a beveragecontainer positioned therein hangs nearly vertical because the flexiblematerial from which the carrier 140 may be constructed auto-orients,thereby enabling open-top cups 15, or open bottles or cans not to spill.

In another example of the invention as shown in FIG. 14A a carrier 150may be provided which can also be used to facilitate handling ofbeverages and other items in various environments, such as in the priorexample. The carrier 150 may be formed of sheets sealed together at thesides and bottom to form a pouch 152 for receiving a beverage 15. Thecarrier 150 further has a handle portion 154 formed as an open loopabove the pouch 152. The handle portion 154 may be simply grasped by oneor more fingers or the palm of the hand, to thereby support the beveragefor carrying or consumption while leaving the rest of the hand free toalso carry a plate for example, similar to the example of FIG. 14. Inthis example, the carrier may further comprise a separate pocket portion156, which may be used to store and carry utensils, a napkin, condimentsor other items as may be desired. If desired, the carrier 150 may beprepackaged with utensils and/or a napkin, straw, crayons for coloring,condiments or other items as may be desired.

In a further example as shown in FIG. 15, a carrier 160 is designed tofacilitate the handling of food and drink items in environments such asa donut or pastry shop, coffee houses or the like, where users typicallypurchase coffee or like beverages along with a donut, pastry, bagel,muffin or the like. The carrier 160 therefore may be formed of sheetssealed together at the sides and bottom to form a pouch 162 forreceiving a donut, pastry, muffin or the like 164. The carrier 160further has a handle portion 163 formed as an open loop above the pouch162. The handle portion 163 may be simply grasped by one or more fingersor the palm of the hand, to thereby support the item contained thereinfor carrying and/or consumption while leaving the rest of the hand freeto also carry other items, such a cup of coffee or for allowing use ofthe hand for other purposes. In FIG. 15A, to facilitate carrying bothfood items as well as beverages, the carrier 160 may be used inassociation with a beverage carrier such as described in FIG. 1 forexample, or these can be integrated into a single carrier for example.As shown in FIG. 15, the carrier 160 may be formed of two layers of afilm that are sealed around perimeter of pouch, with one layer acting asa pocket with a curved upper edge similar to the food items that may becarried thereby. The carrier 160, similar to prior examples, providesconvenience of carrying a pastry, bagel, donut, brownie, etc., in aneconomical and compact solution. Alternatively, a three layer, dualpocket version could be offered that would offer a barrier between foodtypes.

In another aspect of the invention, a dispensing system 200 for carrierexamples according to the invention is provided, as shown in FIGS. 16and 17, which can have any suitable shape corresponding to theparticular carriers to be dispensed therefrom. In one example, thedispenser is a rectangular box which may hold any desired number ofcarriers therein. The dispensing system 200 may include a box body 202made out of any suitable material such as flat cardboard, plastic, orany suitable material for example. The dispensing system 200 contains aplurality of carriers in a folded, interleaved configuration, and eachcarrier therein may be dispensed individually in a similar fashion totissues for example, wherein the removal of one carrier advances orpulls along the next carrier to a position for subsequent removal. Asshould be recognized, the dispenser 200 allows a number of carriers tobe conveniently stored for use, with a very small footprint, so as notto use much space in a storage area. The nature of the carriers beingformed of lightweight flexible film or the like, and the dispenser,allow for simple, and cost-effective shipping and transport of thecarriers for subsequent use. The dispenser 200 also facilitates use inmany different retail environments, by providing a plurality ofdispensing openings and positions, allowing the box body 202 to bepositioned on a flat surface for dispensing or in an upright position ona shelf for example.

As shown in these FIGS., at least one of the sides of box body 202, suchas at least the top side 204, may include a dispensing opening 206. Inone example, opening 206 is located at an intermediate portion of thetop (and/or bottom) wall 204 of dispensing system 200. The opening 206may be created by the removal of a panel (not shown), the panel beingformed by perforations (not shown) in the wall of box body 202. At firstuse, the perforated panel over opening 206 is selectively removed foraccess to the carriers therein. The dispensing opening 206 may be usedto dispense carriers when the box 202 is supported on a flat surface inthe position shown, such as a countertop.

In the same dispenser 200, or provided separately if desired, analternative dispensing opening 208 may be provided, which is formedbetween the intersection of the top (or bottom) wall 204 and one or moresides 210 of the box 202. In a preferred example for instance, severalside openings 208 may be provided along different sides of the box 202,thereby providing flexibility in accessing the carriers therein. Theopening(s) 208 may again be closed by a perforated panel until use isdesired. The side opening(s) 208 allow dispensing of carriers when thebox 202 is positioned in an upright manner on a shelf for example,thereby avoiding use of countertop space if desired. It should also berecognized that the side opening 208 could be formed along theintersection of the top (or bottom) wall 204 and an end side wall of thebox 202 if desired, again providing flexibility in positioning and useof the dispenser 200. The dispenser therefore provides the ability todispense individual carriers through the sides or the middle, offeringwidely varied shelves, counters and serving surfaces to be used.Alternatively, instead of interleaved carriers inside box 202, firstlaying a 200- or 250-quantity (or other quantity) stack of carriersflat, then folding the stack of carriers in half, before insertion intothe dispenser may be desired. The unfolded carriers when flat measureapproximately 24 inches by 11 inches, but alternatively can be madelarger or smaller. After folding in half the carriers will be resemble asquare shape as seen from above and will measure approximately 13 inchesby 11 inches by approximately 2.5 inches tall. This stack will then beplaced inside an inner box 202. Alternatively, four or five smaller50-quantity stacks of carriers can be folded in half and stacked atopone another, then placed in the box. Approximately four or five foldedstacks of 50 carriers, totaling 200 or 250 carriers may be placed in thebox, rendering a convenient weight, package size, and carrier quantity.These inner dispensing boxes then can be put into a larger master boxholding approximately 4 or 6 inner boxes of convenient weight or size.The fold of the carriers or one of the adjacent sides will face theopening 208 enabling the person dispensing the carriers to grasp withtheir fingers and pull from the box the outermost carrier or any exposededge of carriers in the stack or stacks of folded carriers. As thefolded carrier is consumed, the next lower folded carrier can beconsumed, and so forth until all carriers are consumed from the carton.

Based upon the foregoing disclosure, it should now be apparent that thebeverage and food carrying apparatus and dispensing systems as describedherein will carry out the objects set forth hereinabove. It is,therefore, to be understood that any variations evident fall within thescope of the claimed invention and thus, the selection of specificcomponent elements can be determined without departing from the spiritof the invention herein disclosed and described.

What is claimed is:
 1. A carrier for carrying at least one taperedcontainer, the carrier comprising at least one flexible sheet having atleast one aperture provided in the sheet for receiving at least onetapered container; and a plurality of handle members, wherein at leastone tapered container is selectively positioned at the site of theaperture and the sheet is folded about the container to a positionwherein the handle members are joined for grasping by a user, and a traymember positionable on top of the at least one container and engaged bythe sheet on both sides thereof to retain the tray when the sheet isfolded about the at least one container.
 2. The carrier of claim 1,wherein the tray member is dimensioned and shaped to fit in the spacebetween the at least one container and the handles.
 3. The carrier ofclaim 1, wherein the tray member includes a retaining system to engagethe at least one container.
 4. The carrier of claim 3, wherein theretaining system comprises male or female structures on the bottom ofthe tray that engage the top portion of the at least one container. 5.The carrier of claim 3, wherein retaining system is a plurality of nubsor bosses on the bottom side of the tray.
 6. The carrier of claim 3,wherein the retaining system is designed to engage different sizedcontainers, while still preventing any substantial sliding of the trayrelative to the at least one container.
 7. The carrier of claim 3,wherein the retaining system comprises circular grooves to engage thetop of the at least one container.
 8. The carrier of claim 3, whereinthe retaining system comprises circular male rings protruding from thetray bottom surface, that surround the top rim of the at least onecontainer.
 9. The carrier of claim 3, wherein the retaining systemcomprises structure to positively attach to the at least one container.10. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the bottom of the tray hasprojecting portions or grooves that engage an upper open end of the atleast one container or the at least one aperture provided in the sheet.11. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the tray has side walls having aconvex or concave shape that allow a user to grip the tray as well as tofacilitate being retained in the carrier due to the material of thecarrier gripping the tray once it is positioned in the carrier.
 12. Thecarrier of claim 1, wherein the tray has at least one platform area tofacilitate grasping and supporting the tray.
 13. The carrier of claim 1,wherein the tray is formed to be nestable with other trays for shippingin a compact shape.
 14. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the tray isformed to be stackable by rotating one tray relative to another tray.15. The carrier of claim 14, wherein the tray includes structure toprovide positive engagement between stacked adjacent trays.
 16. Thecarrier of claim 1, wherein the tray is formed to be nestable with othertrays and stackable by rotating one tray relative to another tray.
 17. Acarrier for carrying at least one tapered container and a tray, thecarrier comprising at least one flexible sheet having at least oneaperture provided in the sheet for receiving at least one taperedcontainer and engaging the at least one container at a point above thecenter of gravity of the container; and a plurality of handle members,wherein at least one tapered container is positioned at the site of theaperture and the sheet is folded about the container to a positionwherein the handle members are joined for grasping by a user, and a traymember is positionable on top of the at least one container and engagedby the sheet on both sides thereof to retain the tray when the sheet isfolded about the at least one container.
 18. The carrier of claim 17,wherein the tray has side walls having a convex or concave shape thatallow a user to grip the tray as well as to facilitate being retained inthe carrier due to the material of the carrier gripping the tray once itis positioned in the carrier.
 19. The carrier of claim 17, wherein thetray member includes a retaining system to engage the at least onecontainer.
 20. A carrier for carrying at least one tapered container,the carrier comprising at least one flexible sheet having at least oneaperture provided in the sheet for receiving at least one taperedcontainer; and a plurality of handle members, wherein at least onetapered container is positionable at the site of the aperture and thesheet is lifted and folded about the container to a position wherein thehandle members are joined for grasping by a user, and a tray member ispositionable on top of the at least one container and includes retainingsystem to engage the at least one container.